Fires of Vengeance
by Nomad79
Summary: A prelude to RISE and explanation of the multiple timelines of the story. The death of Jessica Kell's human lover forever changes her world. Things have changed for both the Resistance and Skynet as Jessica's story is revealed. How far would you go to change the fate of the person you love?
1. Chapter 1

_**Arthur's Notes: Fires of Vengeance ties into RISE. The two stories are connected and tells the story of the original TSCC timeline. FOV tells both Jessica's story and the events that lead up to Rise. But anyway as always thank you for reading and having the patience to stick with me. I know that multiple timelines in any form of media can be a pain in the but and confusing but this is an attempt to iron things out.**_

 _ **FOV's timeline is the original TSCC version...Jessica's origin**_

 _ **RISE's timeline a blend of two timelines because of the actions of certain characters.**_

 _ **"Time is the fire in which we burn..."**_

-unknown-

 **Los Angeles , 2009**

 **Original TSCC timeline...**

Thomas looked down at his food and frowned feeling his appetite vanish. His stomach rumbled as he looked over at Jessica's Mediterranean Salad. "I hate salads. Jess," he said in defeat watching as she took a bite of her own.

"Yes, Thomas," Jessica said in a disapproving tone looking down at his double cheeseburger and chili cheese fries.. "You should order a salad. It will be much healthier for you."

"I guess so," he muttered looking over at the couple that happily ate their own burgers. He motioned at towards at his own plate. "Did you ever do this to me in the future?"

"Yes," Jessica simply smiled as the waitress brought another salad to the table.

Thomas grudgingly nodded his head. "Great." he muttered as Jessica took another bite of her salad and even offered some to him. "Forget I asked."

"So," Jessica asked after a few minutes as she continued to eat while Thomas slumped in his chair chair and glumly stared out at the crowded courtyard. "If I remember correctly and I always do. You wanted to ask me something?"

"What?" Thomas coughed.

"Yes," Jessica said with enthusiasm. "Female intimacy is programmed into my database, and infiltration subroutines but we never got to finish our kiss."

Thomas's face reddened as he nearly fell out of his chair. "Uh this not the time to talk about this right now, Jess...I kinda have to meet somebody."

Jessica tilted her head as her face hardened and she leveled a deadpanned stare at Thomas. "Who?" she asked in a flat voice.

"Cameron," Thomas felt his throat tighten as Jessica continued to stare at him with icy blue-eyes. He fidgeted under her gaze. "She's in my science class...and we're lab partners...we got a project due next week."

Jessica tilted her head and processed the information. "Oh," she silently said. Then she glanced in the direction of a blue Dodge pulling into the parking lot across the parking lot. The passenger door opened and a girl with long brown hair clad in a flannel shirt, short jean skirt, and wearing cowboy boots stepped out. The truck pulled away and the girl began walking slowly towards the table.

"Her," Jessica said in a low feral growl that escaped her lips as Cameron came into view. "You would spend time with that damaged obsolete model?"

"Jess!" Thomas hissed as he took hold of her hand. "it's not like that! We're just friends. John's being an idiot for treating her so badly..." he paused trying to search for the right words to say. "You know that she only loves John."

Jessica narrowed her blue-eyes at Thomas. "I am aware of that fact. Human attachments can change at any time."

"I know, Jess." Thomas said. "John and Cameron need each other...like..." he stopped in mid-sentence as Jessica's blue-eyes lightly flickered.

She was mad.

"Look," Thomas tried to placate his protector. He reached and took her other hand. He just wanted to finish his lunch with her and not have to worry about the world for once. "I don't know if it's part of your programming...or just you, but don't be so jealous all the time."

'Damn it...way to go moron...'

Wrong choice of words and he knew it. Jessica's eyes flared a little brighter and she actually growled.

"Of course," Jessica tilted her head and forcefully removed her hand. "Why don't you take Cameron to the prom instead?"

Jessica gathered her purse and stormed off nearly walking right into Cameron and knocking the other cyborg over if she had not side stepped out of the TX's way. Cameron stopped and watched Jessica saunter off into the crowd.

"Is Jessica damaged?" Cameron asked confused as she turned to face an embarrassed Thomas that sunk further into his seat wishing he could just disappear.

"No...Jess is just in one of her moods," Thomas muttered as Cameron sat down in the seat next to him, the very same one Jessica just sat in a few minutes ago.

'Why does she has to be so jealous all the time?' He thought, staring down at his now plate of cold food.

 **Two days later…**

John sat on the sofa in the living room of the Connor home. His mood was dark as he considered the events of the last two days. On either side of him sat Sarah and Cameron. His mother looked worried as she stared at her son, uncertain what to say. His terminator protector Cameron sat still as a statue as if she was watching the blank screen of the television. From the way her head was tilted John could tell that she was studying her refection in the screen. Sometimes he wandered what went through that chip of hers. Was it always her desire to keep him safe or was it just something just programmed into her. Did she really love him like she said the day of the jeep explosion or was lying to him like all the other times? John wanted to believe her, but after the explosion he had felt the rift that begun to develop between his mother, uncle, and Cameron.

He wanted to apologize to all of them to say that he was sorry for being John Baum and being the man he was destined to be. He knew that he had let them all down, he ran from his problems instead of facing them and he paid a heavy price. The loss of friends and family ached in his heart and now he was paying for a recent loss.

"It's my fault," John finally breathed out feeling the tears build up in his eyes. "He's dead because of me."

"Don't ever think that John," Sarah replied as she turned to look at her son with tear streaked eyes. His mother reached out to take her son's hand. "Derek told you that anyone would die for you. People believe in you John and you will inspire others. It was his choice...if he had not of been there at that moment you would be dead."

"I know that Mom," John heatedly said. "Every one dies for me."

Sarah closed her eyes for a moment and palmed away the tears from her eyes as she felt the shadow of losing Kyle Reese to the Terminator that was sent back to kill her so many years ago. She thought that she had put away that part of her past, but the pain of losing Kyle would always be with her, but the love they shared would always endure in their son. She opened her eyes and watched silently as John pushed himself off the couch.

John felt his world begin to fade in and out as he felt like he was walking a thin line. He swallowed, feeling uncertain on what to do next or what to say.

In front of him, was a female figure facing the living room window with her back turned to him, long blond hair fell past her slim shoulders. The sunlight seemed to play off the golden hue of her hair as tear streaked blue-eyes watched the people and traffic go about their normal routines. Fresh tears made their way through the dried tracks and soaked into the shirt she wore.

John slowly walked up behind her and reached out with a trembling hand to place onto her shoulder. He pulled his shaking hand back and just stood there, listening to the sobs coming from her.

"I'm sorry, Jessica," John finally said after a few moments. "It's all my fault."

Jessica ignored John as she continued to stare out of the window at all the people going about. She closed her reddened blue-eyes and accessed her primary mission orders.

Mission: Protect Thomas Haden, ensure survival.

Mission status: FAILURE...FAILURE...FAILURE

The words played in an endless loop across her HUD as John continued to apologize, his words becoming nothing but background noise as she ignored him. The tears continued to fall and Jessica never felt so lonely in her existence.

A text appeared in the lower left corner of her HUD and Jessica saw it was from Derek Reese. She accessed the text.

They're gone. A lot of metal tech here though. Looks like TDE technology. They must've returned to the future, looks like a one way ticket, the place is trashed. I'm sorry.

Jessica allowed the words Mission Failure to play across her HUD as she continued to cry. John's desperate apologies meaning nothing to her. She had lost a part of herself and had no idea on how to get it back. Jessica felt hollow and numb. She was lost without Thomas.

Jessica accessed her most recent memory of Thomas. The time index was less than thirty-six hours old.

"Jess! Hold on a sec..." the ghostly memory flooded her HUD. She tried to smile at seeing his face, but the pain of losing him would always haunt her. She should've been there to protect him, but Thomas tried to convince her that he would be fine. He would be safe and return to her so they could go to the prom together. "Lemme get a picture of you!"

"I don't like cameras," Jessica stoically told him reaching for his phone." These 'smartphones' are a security risk."

"Hey!" He protested hiding the smartphone behind his back. "You are not breaking this one!"

Jessica tilted her head. "I can easily take that device from you." she told him.

"Come on just one picture. Besides your freaking beautiful," he told her as he took the smartphone and pointed the camera at her. "Skynet needs to see the gorgeous face of the one Terminator that is my girl, and she can't be taken from me."

Jessica smiled as he took the picture.

The last image of Thomas' face faded as the memory ended. Her breathing came in ragged gasps she felt her emotions begin to surge out of control. Jessica shut down her affected emotional packages and tried to control her crying, but she couldn't. The pain was to much of an affliction for her to process.

"Jessica," John started, but Jessica turned from the window and glared at him with tear streaked blue-eyes.

"You should have stopped him," The tearful TX told him. Her voice carried a pained tone that seemed to accuse John of Thomas' death.

"I'm sorry...I really am," John swallowed. "I messed things up by being John Baum when I should have been John Connor. Things would be different..."

"Things will be different, John Connor," Jessica firmly told him. "The lies that you kept telling yourself to run away from who you're supposed to be. The ones that died to pay for your mistakes. Your actions have changed the future."

"No," John defiantly told Jessica. "We know what happens now. We can fix the mistakes and save everyone!"

"No you can't," Jessica shook her head , turned back to face the window. "You have no idea what it is like to truly feel alone...like I do."

Mission Failure...

John numbly backed away from Jessica and slowly returned to the couch. Sarah had gone into her bedroom to grieve.

"Everyone dies for me..." John solemnly said. He sat down beside Cameron. His protector kept staring blankly at the television.

Several seconds passed by as John tried to make sense of the last few months since the explosion that nearly took Cameron.

"I'm sorry," John simply said as he reached out and lightly took Cameron's right hand.

Tears fell from Cameron's eyes as she cried for John, she knew that this was the start of a path towards the dark future that John tried to prevent, but failed. Things would be different from now on and so would be John, but Cameron would be there for him...even if others would give up on him.

Mission Failure...

 **Terminator:**

 **Fires of Vengeance**

 **Original TSCC timeline…**

 **2027**

The naked single light bulbs strung haphazardly along the grimy curving stone ceiling of the short densely packed tunnel flickered on and off as the overhead rumble of Hunter Killer Centaurs methodically searched the ruins of downtown for the carefully camouflaged entrance to the Resistance Command Base. The deep thumps of overhead explosions echo through the tight confines of the deep underground network of maze like tunnels that served as the last refuge for the dwindling numbers of humanity from the ever-growing presence of SKYNET. Rusting steel support girders loudly groan out in protest as panicked looks appear on the very frightened faces of the various clumps of ragtag civilians gathered together in make shift shelters. The deep thuds of massive explosions continue to echo throughout the shelters as the panicked cries of frightened children and stricken families bounce off the rusting walls of the tunnel.

Resistance Soldiers stationed at hastily erected medical stations walk about the groups of civilians lending aid and comfort to those in need. A Resistance clergyman walks by the wounded and prays with those frightened souls seeking solace from the raging battle between the humans and the cold metal forces of SKYNET. Squads of Sweeper Soldiers, the Special Forces unit of the Resistance, dressed in dark green heavy combat armor and hefting wicked looking plasma rifles in gloved hands patrol the lower entrances to the heart of Resistance Command. A couple of Nomads dressed in similar armor and wielding the same type of lethal looking weapons walk past the Sweepers without as much as a nod towards a heavily sealed blast door. The heavy clangs of the their armored boots bounce off the curving stone walls that make up the small post for the Sweeper Soldiers as the lead Nomad glares at the guard with dark eyes.

"General Connor has requested to see us," the lead Nomad says flatly ignoring the tension coming from the Sweeper soldier. "We have orders to report to him immediately."

The Sweeper soldier and his partner look the two Nomads up and down with slightly nervous stares. The guard hefts the heavy plasma rifle while glancing back at his partner.

"Where are your orders?" The Special Forces soldier asks shifting the weight of his heavy weapon.

The Nomad lets out an angry sigh glaring at the much younger soldier with impatience.

"Open the door. Connor asked for us personally."

To enunciate his demand the Nomad thumbs the charge setting on his plasma rifle smiling wickedly as a high piercing whine begins to cut through the air. The Sweeper cringes at the high-pitched squeal of the quickly charging power cell indicating for the irritating noise to silenced.

"Alright! Alright! Just shut that damn noise off!" The Sweeper guard mutters under his breath walking over to the retinal scanner as the loud noise begins to fade away. Damn Nomads think they can run the place, The soldier bitterly thinks leaning over the scanner and blinking away the flash of bright red light as the laser scans his retinas to unlock the heavily secured blast door. Bad enough to have metal around us to. The Nomad quickly glances at his partner dressed in similar banged up dark green combat armor looking patiently ahead with intense blue eyes as the Sweeper pushes in a security code on the wall panel next to the retinal scanner. A series of brightly blazing red lights turn dark plunging the tunnel into absolute darkness then quickly lighting up the small confined space in brilliant emerald green as the first layer of security lockouts come undone allowing access to the heart of the Resistance.

"There's perks to being the top dog of the Resistance kid," the Nomad yells loudly as a series of deep thuds come from the inside of the blast door echoing through the small tunnel.

The younger Nomad nods in agreement as internal hydraulics and servomotors roar to life slowly lifting the thick heavy metal door into a hidden recess. Klaxon alarms blare out through the tunnel as yellow tinged warning lights flash in the darkness revealing another thick rusted metal door that lead into the command center of the Resistance.

The other Sweeper Soldier nods once at his partner whom reaches into a side pocket and removes a small magnetic card swiping it quickly through a data reader attached to the exposed brick wall. A loud beep sounds from the device as loud clangs echo from the blast door recess, internal magnetic locks unseal and a low hissing noise comes from the door as it slowly begins to cycle open. The Nomad quickly removes his plasma rifle from a shoulder sling and hands the heavy weapon to the nearby Sweeper. The other guard takes a small hand scanner and runs the small glowing device over the battered battle armor of both Nomads checking for any signs of hidden surveillance devices.

After a couple minutes of methodical scanning the device returns a negative tone and the Sweeper replaces the scanner while motioning the two Nomads on through the now fully open door.

"Come on," The lead Nomad says reaching up and undoing the metal snaps on his dented tactical helmet. The soldier places both hands on the sides, giving a slight twist as he removes the piece revealing a bald head covered in a shiny sheen of sweat. "Damn it's hard to breathe in that thing. Huh kid?"

"Yes. General," the young Nomad responds handing over his own powered down plasma rifle to the other guard.

General Asher smirks at the nervous tone of the newly inducted Nomad who had just more than proven himself on the mission to liberate prisoners from a fast moving SKYNET transport. The operation had went off without a hitch as the squad only suffered light injuries, but the toll for the machines was higher as all the metal guarding the transport was now lying on the cold unforgiving ground as scrap.

"Drop the General part," He commands laughing while he slaps the young man on his armored back. "Just call me Asher. I hate being called a general. There is only one in this army. Now let's get you to Connor."

The two soldiers walk through the doorway into an entire different world separate from the upper layers of the Resistance Base. Blue eyes take in row after row of high tech computer equipment and the impressive amount of technical personal rushing about to different monitoring stations. A very large monitoring screen takes up the whole southern end of the expansive control center flashing with an infrared image of the war torn landscape topside. Various streams of data flash on flat screen panels situated around the wall as several technicians mill about discussing the results from the security scans done by the sensors placed throughout the ruins.

"I want backup sensors 23C through 87E re-calibrated on the double people!" a demanding but female voice yells out to the crowd of Resistance technicians standing by a bank of old dusty computers. "We have two days to get the new sensor net up and working or General Connor is going to have all of our asses."

The young soldier watches with wide eyes as the source of the demanding voice navigates her way through the bustling crowd of personal towards the techs.

"Whoa," he says out loud forgetting that General Asher was standing next to him watching with amusement as the Nomad's eyes followed the young auburn haired girl. "She's beautiful."

The young girl wearing the light gray uniform of a Resistance Techcom Commander complete with a black dusty leather jacket strolls over to the group as one of the techs hand her a small portable pc. The small inset LCD screen highlights the beautiful flawlessness porcelain skin of her face, long beautiful auburn hair pours down her shoulder like a cascading waterfall as she runs a hand through it while reading the data flashing across the screen. Intense brown eyes squint in concentration as the girl hands back the device her face scrunched in deep thought while watching the rest of the techs poke and prod at the old computers.

The soldier finds himself lost in the display of her beauty as the noise of all the hustle and bustle of the command center seems to slow to a liquid like crawl. The light shining from the computer monitors only highlights her as drew in a deep slow breath very oblivious to anything around him.

My God, The Nomad thinks dully staring straight at the pretty Techcom Commander. She is so beautiful. Like an angel fallen from heaven to earth.

The sound of General Asher calling out his name barely reaches his love-induced mind, as he stands there just watching as the pretty Commander hovers over the group of techs watching as they pull an access panel from one of the computers.

"Sergeant!" Asher calls out lightly shaking the young soldier on his armored shoulder. "Hey? You at home in there kid!?"

The Nomad doesn't hear Asher at all while continuing to stare at the backside of the young auburn haired girl. Watching as she reaches into a hip pocket on her light gray fatigues and pulls out a small flash light shining the beam into the interior of the old computer as she explaining the inner workings of the device.

She's smart and beautiful to boot, he thinks staring as she guides one of the techs through some sort of process on removing one of device's circuit boards.

Wonder if she's seeing anyone?

A loud bang to the back of his armored head is enough to cause his forehead to hit the thin interior padding of the helmet bringing the love induced solider painfully to the present. Blue eyes remain riveted on the girl as Asher steps into his field of vision blocking his view of her.

"Sorry Gen-" Thomas stutters out in a hurry noting the look of disapproval on Asher's battle hardened face. "I mean Asher! My uh attention was somewhat occupied sir. Must have been the exhaustion of the last mission. Sorry sir!"

Thomas quickly stiffens to attention causing the armor to clatter nosily earning the questioning gaze of several techs and small amounts of laughter by the closest radar screen watchers. Asher snaps a harsh glare at the techs who quickly return to their own assignments causing the pretty young Commander to curiously glance their way.

Shit! He thinks feeling his heart beat a mile a minute as the Commander locks her brown eyes onto him. Oh, fuck! I'm screwed! She's coming this way. Asher crosses armored arms and slowly shakes his bald head as the young Nomad continues to fidget nervously in front of him embarrassed for staring at the young Commander.

Some rookie, Asher thought fighting the urge to bust out laughing at the Sergeant's situation. He can hold his own in battle, but the moment he sees a pretty young lady he's lost it. Maybe this is good for her. She just lost her older sister and the General Perry is all the family she has left.

Thomas struggles to keep his trembling body straight as the heavy weight of the Nomad battle armor as the auburn hair girl walks up beside Perry and regards him with those beautiful brown eyes. Thomas feels rivers of sweat pour down his face soaking into the interior padding of the battered helmet he was still wearing his breath fogged up clear plastic visor that covered the lower portion of his face.

Damn she's hot, he thinks suddenly feeling a wave of uncomfortable heat race through his body or was it just the cumbersome armor making feel this way? On the other hand, was the helmet he was still wearing sealed on too tightly? Yeah must be all this damn gear making me sweat like this.

The Commander looks into Thomas's blue eyes briefly blushing as she turns and addresses Asher in a sweet sounding voice.

"Who's the bucket head General?"

Thomas tilts his head feeling a flare of annoyance race through him as the Commander returns her bright smile at the completely confused Nomad.

Bucket Head!? What the hell? Do I look like a fucking machine!? You teckie! He furiously thinks glaring dagger eyes at the smart mouth Commander. Thomas starts to open his mouth to reply to the smirking girl, but finds himself unable to do so. What the hell's wrong with me? This girl is just so stunning. Asher looks at Thomas in bemusement pointing towards his head.

"Sergeant you might want to remove that helmet before suffocating on your own hot air." Asher suggests as the pretty Commander places a hand over her mouth trying to stifle the giggling laughter.

Thomas mutters under his breath while fumbling with the release clasps. "Damn it."

The girl watches amused as he suddenly snags the helmet on the unsealed neck armor letting out a violent string of cuss words.

"Dammit!" Thomas stumbles around nearly falling to the concrete floor trying to remove the defiant piece of equipment. "Get the hell off of me!"

Asher looks on mortified as the Commander slightly shakes her head smiling and giving the struggling soldier a hand. This has to be the Nomad, Dad promoted recently. I thought this bucket head was supposed to be some bad ass soldier not have trouble taking off a helmet! What an idiot! "Stay still Sergeant," she says reaching up and quickly undoing the snagged clasp unable to contain her laughter as the elite soldier still fumbles around. "Just chill out I got it."

Thomas lets out a deep sigh muffled by the bad angle of the helmet as the Techcom Commander gives the battered piece of armor a slight twist and removes it only to catch her breath at the sight of his sweaty redden face. Brown eyes take in the sight of close-cropped dirty blonde hair, deep blue eyes that reflected intelligence, and a kind face-hardened by the ways of a soldier. His eyes, she thinks finding herself instantly lost in his gaze. They're so kind, but it looks like he's hiding some sort of deep pain. Maybe it's just because of the war…. "Um, Commander Young." the sharp voice of General Asher snaps her back to attention. "You might want to give the soldier his helmet back."

"Oh," Commander Young says stoically just realizing she was still holding onto Thomas's helmet. "I'm, sorry."

"Uh, don't think anything about," Thomas says sheepishly feeling his face blush taking back the helmet.

Commander Young tilts her head slightly to the left and extends a hand towards the Nomad trying to avert her eyes.

"I'm Allison," she introduces herself as Thomas shakes her hand. "Allison Young."

"Uh, I'm Sergeant Bucket Head," Thomas jokingly says as Allison smiles brightly at him. "No really my name is Thomas Haden."

"It's a nice name," Allison says still holding onto his hand as General Asher covers his mouth and makes a loud coughing noise getting her attention.

"Commander Young," he says looking directly at her. "I believe you have a sensor grid to get back online."

Allison regretfully tears her gaze away from Thomas to face General Asher.

"Yes sir," she says with slight disappointment while looking back at Thomas giving him a wink before sauntering off towards the group of technicians gathered near a sensor relay.

Thomas watches her walk away as General Asher clamps a hand down on his armored shoulder.

"Come on Sergeant love struck," Asher says steering the younger Nomad away from the command center towards another entrance to General Conner's offices.

"Oh yeah by the way soldier. Allison is General Perry's adopted daughter and you had better be careful around her. I've heard horror stories were soldiers like you just vanish into thin air for talking to her."

Thomas stops in his tracks while looking once more at the beautiful Commander Young watching as she resumes working with her fellow technicians. A sly smirk comes to his battle hardened face, but quickly fades when Asher looks at him with a baleful General's daughter huh?

Thomas smiles feeling himself lost at the sight of Allison Young. Now I am really fucked. Maybe it is worth the risk to get to know her…

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2

**TERMINATOR: FIRES OF VENGEANCE**

THE DAY THE HER WORLD WENT AWAY...

ANGLES' POINT LIGHTHOUSE

APRIL 21, 2012 (ONE YEAR AFTER JUDGMENT DAY)

Jessica Kell, stood barefoot in the wash of the waves on the sandy beach looking out at the dim horizon as the first rays of dawn chased away the darkness of night. The coldness of the ocean water between her exposed toes sent and rushing up to her ankles felt good as she contemplated the events of last year. The traumatic choices she was forced to make during the months were not easy as the consequences of those decisions bore heavily on her. In the fight to stop, the creation of SKYNET Jessica lost all of those close to her except for a few people she could count on as allies. Everyone she knew was killed as they failed to stop Judgment Day and more than half of the earth was eradicated in nuclear fire.

Tears stream down from depressed blue-eyes eyes as the names and memories of those who sacrificed themselves so that they could save the future. Balling her fists in anger directed in the horizon at the slowly growing presence of the machine empire that ripped away her life. Destroyed all she cared for as a desperate final attempt to stop the machines utterly failed and they unleashed their vindictive fury on the unsuspecting human race. Now the future of the human race was uncertain as the survivors filtered their way from destroyed cities and towns to this small point of untouched land to lay the foundations of the Resistance. This old white towering lighthouse now served as a literal beacon of hope in the eternal darkness to come for the remains of humanity.

"We failed, Thomas," Jessica cried, feeling the hot tears sting her eyes while staring out at the lazy waves of the Pacific Ocean. I failed…after everything, we did to stop SKYNET. It all just came apart after we thought we had won. I should have seen this coming…."

"Jessica?" a soft feminine voice calls out bringing the TX out her dark musings. "It's time…"

"I know," She says letting out a deep sigh turning to face John's protector, Cameron. "I'll be at the lighthouse shortly. I need to do something first."

Cameron kept her face stoic as she stared at the blonde haired TX. She tilted her head and spoke. "Thomas is just meat and bones now."

Jessica felt anger surge through her systems. "What did you say?"

"Thomas is dead. Has been for over a year now...you failed to protect him." Cameron coldly told her.

"It was his choice to go with John," Jessica angrily said.

"Then you should have stopped Thomas. Rendered him unconscious and took him to the safe house with you," Cameron responded. "It was a trap."

"I know that," Jessica sadly spoke. "Now..he's gone..."

Cameron turned away from Jessica and began to walk towards the lighthouse. She stopped and glanced at Jessica. A brief look of sadness fell across her face. "If John were ever to die...I would not know how to continue. There would be no mission."

Jessica takes one more glance at the horizon as the sun finally pokes through the dark clouds casting brilliant beams of light that reflect off the surface of the turbulent water.

"He would have loved this," she sadly whispers feeling guilt well up as she laments for her lost love. "We should've been given a chance."

Jessica turns away from the view of the ocean and gazing out at the motley collection of vehicles and hastily set up tents of the survivors. More people were trickling in everyday as word spread throughout the nuclear blasted landscape that there was hope among st the wreckage of a once great civilization.

Cameron seems to notice Jessica's thoughts as a slight breeze whips her long dark hair about.

"You know John," she begins. "He always puts those he cares about above himself. Future John did the same. It's why he always chose machines to be protectors. We can be rebuilt, but John or Thomas can't be."

Cameron does not finish as she sees the depths of pain in the TX's eyes at the loss of Thomas.

"Future John was right about you," Cameron continued staring out at the crowd of survivors milling about trying to resume the shattered pieces of their lives.

Cameron turned away and continued to walk back towards the light house.

"I know," Jessica silently says as she picks up her boots and slowly walks up path that leads up to cliff overlooking the peacefulness of the ocean.

She spends the next few minutes in deep silence trudging up the cold stone path as the view of a simple wooden cross comes into view. A tall ancient oak tree stood like a lone sentinel over the grave as a slight breeze ruffled the thick branches.

One year ago, Jessica buried the body of Thomas in this isolated place.

Jessica stoops in front of the cross and stares at Thomas's name scratched onto the wood as she reaches into her pocket and removes a small heart shaped locket. Jessica holds the small pendant up into the shade of the oak tree opening the clasp and gazing at the picture of both of them in each other arms.

"Hey," She says looking down at the grave. "It's been a hell of year since you've been gone."

A slight breeze blows through the lonely graveyard as Jessica kneels down, hanging the locket on the cross.

She places a shaking hand on the rough wood feeling the soul wrenching sobs beginning to break forth as she cries for him. Tears stream down her face and for just the slightest of moments the color of Jessica's blue-eyes change to a deep brown.

"I miss you Thomas," Jessica cries out as the tears fall onto the dry dirt of the grave. "I'm sorry I should've been there to protect you. Please forgive me."

Jessica buries her head in her arms crying aloud as the torment of those she cared for lost storm through her.

"I am so sorry! " Jessica desperately cries feeling the soul crushing sadness haunting her. I promise you I will fix all the mistakes. I will find away to make everything all right so you can live…You will not suffer anymore…."

For several long intense moments, Jessica remains silently staring at the lone tears fall from her face and streak through the dried ones. As she continues to cry, her skin begins to flow like water and briefly takes on a silvery sheen as she shifts into her true form. The perfect tanned tone of the skin changes to a flawless porcelain and the blonde hair shifts to dark brown.

Jessica opens her eyes and briefly closes them as the memories of a nearly forgotten past play across her HUD.

 _Where are you from, Allison? I don't remember You don't remember what town you're from? Why does it matter? It's not there anymore Tell me about your life I live in a tunnel. I eat garbage for dinner. Tell me about your family. My father was an architect. He taught me how to draw. My mother was a music teacher. She'd sit for hours and listen to Chopin. What's that bracelet on your arm? My sister gave it to me for my birthday. July 22nd. I had a party in Griffith Park. My friends were there. I saw a boy ride by on a silver mountain bike, and I told my Dad: "That's what I want". And he said: "Next year". But I didn't have a party the next year. No one did. Why not? Everyone was dead. I wanna go home. Where is home? Palmdale._

 _Where is home?_

 _Thomas..._

 _Where is home?_

 _Thomas..._

The VOID

He floated in the darkness, comforted by the quite. It was all that was left to him. Here there was no concept of time. It was taken by three men dressed in dark clothing that waited on him to be separated from his protector. When the agents of Majestic Twelve claimed his life and left Jessica alone to suffer. How long this strange sense of existence lasted, he had no idea. There was nothing but an endless void of blackness. There was no need for sustenance or rest, he no longer felt those desires or anything at all. He tried to recall the memories of his life, but they were different, chaotic and melting into one another.

Pain, stiffness, the burning sensation of trying to breath, and then nothing else but the sweet embrace of death. The fractured memories floated across his mind breaking the solitude of the void: a young woman with flawless porcelain like skin and

deep blue-eyes curiously stared at him. Long waves of golden blonde hair settled over her slim shoulders as she removed a knife from her jacket pocket. The girl tipped her head and said something as she slowly lifted her right hand and slowly flexed the fingers.

He tried to recall what she was saying, her mouth was moving but he could not hear the words. Sorrow played across her stoic face as she flicked open the knife and placed the tip into the skin of her wrist. She tilted her head and pressed the blade into the flesh slicing down the length of her fore arm in one fluid motion. Blood seeped from the self inflicted wound and the shiny glint of blood stained metal glimmered underneath where bone should be. She said something else before using her hand to rip away the skin revealing a smooth gleaming metallic forearm with lines of pale blue light. Tears fell from her eyes as she lifted the exposed machinery to his face for him to see.

He felt anger stir deep within him at the sight of such a thing that dared to call its self human. A machine from the future whose sole function was to kill other humans. It was nothing but a streamlined metal endoskeleton, a different design created to resemble the shape of a woman encased in a sheath of synthetic living

polymemetic flesh. An infiltrator designed to terminate humans and other rouge machines. The Terminator felt like a real girl, the soft touch of her skin, the scent of her long hair, the bottomless pools of blue eyes that held so much mystery, and the taste of her lips.

Why did she have to lie him?

He wanted to scream out her for lying to him but could not find a reason why to. She stared at him for several seconds as if trying to gauge his reaction to her revealing what she was. The machine seemed to flinch as he suddenly started yelling and cussing at her. He tried to control the outrage and the sickening feelings that he felt towards the cyborg, but was unable to as the torn flesh flowed like water and regenerated over the exposed forearm.

A rare moment for one that acted so cold and emotionless, she spoke again, her voice full of pain, trying to explain everything that had happened to the both of them. Why she had come back for him, deserved her protection and companionship. But he would not listen to her anymore and finally told his protector to leave. She cocked her head to the left as another tear slid down her cheek and without another word ran up the stairs, nearly tearing the basement door from its hinges as it slammed shut with a loud bang. He let out a deep breath and settled back in the chair, closing his eyes as he sought to retreat into the solitude of the void.

There was the sound of people arguing upstairs, but the words sounded muted coming through the floor. He really did not care about the world anymore or those around him. In less than a year everything would go to hell as the machines would blow up half of humanity with its own weapons. The future was lost no matter how hard Sarah Connor or John tried to stop, what was it called? Skynet? Judgment Day? The day that humans were judged for their sins by the rise of Terminators made to look like very people that created them. Sarah had said that the cyborgs could not commune with God. Could not appreciate art.

What could they ever find value in what they were programmed to terminate? Nothing. The machines could not feel...it was impossible. His own protector

killed a Majestic Twelve agent in cold blood. Took a human life. It what she was made to do, the order to kill humans hard-coded into her software and hardware, it was impossible to remove even with Resistance reprogramming. She was a Terminator and it was her sole function to seek out and kill her targets.

Jessica told him those words as she snapped the man's neck like a twig.

Thomas knew better...there was something that was different about her. She was no normal Terminator...she was far from that. She didn't possess the cold calculating nature of a machine. No there was something else about her...

Thomas blamed himself for opening his heart to her, thinking that a relationship would be possible.

He was wrong.

Dead wrong and it got him killed…

Then he heard her call out to him.

"Thomas!"


End file.
